Today we open the door with number eight, and move over to Via Ferrata straight..

When yoy got the skills from advance hiking, or been hanging on the indoor climbing wall the next step would be the Via Ferrata. Via Ferrata is climbing connected to a wire. As normally climbing you got a rating system here as well. ED,MD,D,MD, F(Italy, ED = extreme difficulty). In Sweden we use this scale: A,B,C,D,E where E is the most difficult one.

The equipment you need is; one harness, helmet, Via Ferrata sling, a pair of good boots/approach shoes, gloves and a backpack.

There is a lot of good Via Ferratas in the Dolomites, in the area of Cortina, and val di fiemme. In Switzerland you got Daubenhorn – Gemmiwand as a good suggestion.

Via Ferrata in Switzerland.

The safety rules for via Ferrata is:

-Just must always got one carabineer connected to the wire.  -Only one climber at one section of the wire. New and checked equipment. Shout if you loosen a stone. Do not climb in bad weather.

In Sweden we got three areas for Via Ferrata: Skuleberget www.viaferrata.se and at Funasdalen and also at Kittelfjäll and Kullen in Skane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWPlGlOw8QE

If you want to try please contact us for guiding..

See ya tomorrow..

Today we open the door with number seven, and you can read about running to heaven..

When it comes to trail running or sky running it is a very good training. At the moment the races explode. One of the biggest is UTMB Ultra Trail Mont Blanc.

UTMB a sky running race with a fantastic view during the race..

Within its 166km the UTMB is a real challenge,. The area of Chamonix is a perfect area for trail running. There is a lot of trails to choose between. The travel and accommodation is cheap.

Trail running in the winter, perfect for the upcoming mountaineering season..

For a mountaineerer the winter is perfect for trail running. It is now you can prepare for the upcoming challenge whatever it is ice climbing, climbing or mountaineering.

Suggestion: warm up 10-15 minutes, run intervals for 5 minutes x 5, then cold down for 10 minutes. This will build you up, even the mental strength..

And if you feel that it is to cold and slippery to run during the winter, you cant complain with a pair of Socouny Razor-Ice

With Saucouny Razor-Ice you don’t got any reason for not run..

See ya tomorrow

Today its time for open door six,  and today it is about gear trends for 2017..

When it comes to trends in outdoor gear I will start with Drones. It will be used for filming, your own film crew. Running, skiing climbing it will be used. But also in a more practical way. For used to prevent from avalanches etc.

Practical and a good use of drones, protecting us from avalanches.

New soles from Vibram will help us on slippery ice surfaces.

A new rubber compound, Vibram’s Arctic Grip Sole gives “up to three times better grip” on wet ice surfaces.

Polartec has been working for a long time with new and good textile functional clothing. ”cooling” clothes is not something new on the market, But now Polartec has provide a new function called Delta. This one probably will change this market.

Polartec Delta will change the outdoor clothing a bit..

When it comes to climbing, new gear appears the whole time. It is getting safer, even if your skills still require knowledge and skills from practical training. Belays is always important and Wild Country has now revolution the market with their new belay solution.

The key safety piece in climbing, the belay device, gets an upgrade for 2017 from a few brands. Most notably, the Wild Country Revo has a new “bi-directional” auto-locking design to make belaying almost foolproof.

For the snow and cycling enthusiast there is a choice, the Antartic bike. For long distance cycling in artic environment..

If you gonna be moving in artic environment, this maybe can be your choice:-)

See ya tomorrow.

Today we open door five, and learn about skills that keep us alive..

Mountaineering comprises physical condition and skills. Theoretical skills to translate into reality and practical/technique skills.  You must work with your equipment whole the time.

Use the time in front of the TV to practice to tie knots.

If you don’t live in the mountain environment you still can train you practical skills. Use your stove blindfolded. You can get of skiing or skating on lakes when it is windy. Then you also can practice to use the Wind sack. I would ever leave to the mountains without my wind sack, But then I really must be skilled to use it.

A wind sack can save you, provided that you are skilled to use it, especially in bad conditions..

To build a snöka, will also be a good skill to have. And as well overnight in it.

But get a schema for all your equipment, so you keep up the control and safety within it. And if you do that you want loose your ”know how” to use it. And challenge yourself with bad weather, in darkness, in water etc. Ski a day against the wind on the ice, that would be like skiing in the mountain areas:-)

It doesn’t matter how good the equipment is, if you don’t can use it properly..

Keep practising…

See ya tomorrow

Today we open door four, and get information for how to get the skiing to the highest score..

The snow ha already stared to fall in the northern part of Sweden, and some of os already longing for some skiing. If you are going to a peak-tour area there are some important thing you need have in control.

First of all choose a are with many different gradients. Often you don’t know before how the wind and snow condition is in the area. And then you got the option to change the plans. With a gradients below 30 degrees you still can find a area to ski in.

Short approach, with that you safe time. As the time of light always will be factor, you can risk to be staying during the night with to long approaches.

Avoid overnighting if that’s not the plan..

Choose a area with accuracy. If there is possibilities in different directions, you got more opportunities for the skiing. If its hard to fins loose snow, you might find some spring snow on the south slopes. And during spring you can often fins cold snow in the north slopes if the quality of the snow is bad overall..

If the weather is bad, and the condition overall is terrible, skiing in the low areas is still an option. For example if its foggy or windy etc.

Use the low area for skiing in bad conditions..

If you not got the skills and knowledge always use a guide. Always ask the locals about the current conditions. And follow the weather forecast. Always use the right equipment as well. A airbag back-pack is a life insurance. But even with the good and right equipment you STILL need the knowledge ands skills…Se ya on the peak:-)

Ortvox ascent 30 backpack incl. AVABAG airbag.

Today it is the second advent, and today we will have a quiz.

This picture is from the first guided tour to the Syltoppen in the beginning of the 1900. And todays question is: If you add the height of sylpeak together with Kebnekaise south peak. What do you got for height then? Good luck with mathematics:-) The answer you mail to: ulf.bergman@playgroundconsulting or an SMS with the right answer to +46 73 701 28 50. And latest at Wednesday I need you answer..

See ya tomorrow

Today we open door Three, what the trends in outdoor will look like we now will see..

It is always exciting to try to understand the outdoor trends. We all got our opinion of what it would look like in the future.

Klas Sundell has done a thesis about ”the new mountain experience” He has been interweaving outdoor practitioners, mountain guides and the mountain business people.

The trend will be: short weekend adventures. Heli skiing. People don’t need to have indoor facilities such as climbing walls indoor etc. adjacent to mountain station and ski lodge areas. But if there is there, they will use it. People are more willing to pay a higher price for comfort and guided activities. The Swedish Tourist Association need to adapt to the new outdoor world. today you can travel cheaper to the alps, and cheaper stay at the cabins there and even the food is included. The alp cabins also even got a better service then the Swedish cabins. regulation of the more extreme activities will be a challenge due to landlords, natives (Sami’s) and others. It also have with safety to do as well. Authorised guides will be more needed due to people are willing to do more extreme activities, and soon the south peak of Kebnekaise will he the highest peak in Sweden.

Combined adventures with skiing, climbing and paragliding etc. will be more common. Also festivals, and the place doesn’t matter. It is the content and that it is lot of other outdoor practitioners.

Todays Christmas suggestion for the wish list will be a pair of boulder/climbing trousers from Simond. Got a pair on my own, using them every day:-)

http://www.decathlon.se/jeans-used-herr-id_8331552.html

And the days workout suggestion will be:

Keep on, see ya tomorrow…

Today we open the second door, and can suggestion of Christmas gifts score..

Todays training was rowing, ski-ergo and some farmers walk.  One hour combined with strict press, farmers walk and rack-hold of KB. Good for the body and mind..

Today I will suggest some Christmas gifts for the outdoor nerd:-).

I will suggest different categories and prize levels for the suggestion of Christmas presents.

First we got the  combined tool:

A fork and a tool, perfect combination..And it cost around 12Euro.

For sub 60 Euro you can get the perfect workout tool:

It is fun, and real good for training your balance skills..

During winter I would never leave without my gas lantern..

early morning in the tent, start up the gas lantern and get rid of the moister.

And here comes something more expensive, and it is more useful in the expedition area..

A innovative sun power generator for the expedition. For ~320 Euro you cant get this useful sun driven power generator..http://1800solarusa.net/product/generatr-100/

And at the end some new Swedish music:

See ya tomorrow

..

The 1st of December, and today we will some forgotten trails remember..

When it comes to trails there are some, that has been forgotten. People just take there normal routes so today I will suggest some forgotten ones.

One of the most used trails is the one from Nikkaluokta to Kebnekaise. If you are tired to follow that one you can follow the south side of the mountain Karmas. You will guarantied to be by yourself.

Kebnekaise mountain station in Nordic Light..

Another trail that I will recommend will be in Jämtland. You begin from Rundhögen -Sevedholm-Blåhammaren mountain station. You can also pass to Snasahögarnas wins shelter to Storulvån mountain station or to Sylarna.

From Rundhogen to Blåhammaren mountain station.

The third forgotten trail will be a favourite. Especially in the winter. You start from Ramundberget to Fältjägarstugan. You will have a terrific view, and a lot of different possibilities for daily trips with Fältjägaren as a basecamp.

View from Fältjägaren a forgotten cabin..

And the trail from Tossåsen to Lunndörren cabins will be a quite interesting experience. This trail I recommend for those that got knowledge. This is one of the most exposed trails. The valley will be like a wind tunnel. It also a perfect playground for ice climbing. But you have a approach of at least 10km. But if the ice is good it will be worth it..

The trail to Lunndörren, you can see the wind shelter..

That’s all for today, follow the calendar, now were on. There will be quiz every Sunday until Christmas with possibilities to win prizes.

And the music for today, enjoy and listen to the text..

Se ya tomorrow..

Today it is the first of advent. And on Thursday, this years advent calendar will start.

On Wednesday, this years advent calendar will start. It will be quiz and new information every day, so check every day:-)

The training has been tough, the week was ended up with a kettle bell complex and 5000m skiergo. Tired? oh yes..For the upcoming ice climbing season I will try to develop my under arms. So with a pair of fat gripz, I think I will strengthen the under arms.

It will be interesting to se the effect of using the Fat Gripz…

And check under news, we will now be able to providing personal adapted mountaineering training. So it you going for a climb or expedition, please ask for personalized program. Physical strength and mental strength will be in focus as well as technique and a endurance.

Special program for mountaineering, check it out. You will be able to se it in one of the advent doors…

I will also test the Edelrid Rage, ice tools for mixed ice climbing. It will be interesting.

Edelrid rage will be a interesting experience..

So its time for sharpening your own focus, as the point of the ice axes or the steel edge on the randonee skies.

Get the strength, to be able to getting the most out of the skiing… 

This weeks exercise; RDL (Romanian dead lift). Balance and strength in one exercise…

And this weeks music, ok Michael this one is old. Maybe not so good, but it is odd:-)

See ya at Thurday, when we open the first door..

Rest day, well a whole rest weekend. When the head coach says rest, then I rest. The good thing when change routines sometimes, you got time for reflection. A good life contains combinations. As a guide, after a guiding session, it feels so good to be alone. To take decisions from my own perspective, and don’t need to think about others. But at the same time I really love to push my clients limits. Accordingly a combination.

Reflection after a guiding session I Chamonix…Alone at Albert 1st hut.

When it comes to work, I think is good to have two totally different professions. In my case I am Manager and also Mountain manager. And I think both give so much good experience that is useful in the both of worlds. A combination of two good things:-).

When it comes to training and outdoor life, it is two things that need each other. With a high level of strength, endurance and technique you will be able to perform better and more safety outdoor activities. But with no experience from the real outdoor, you will for sure fail. I think I have find a good combination of it. Good training and I fully outdoor life, that is great.

Ice climbing, outdoor-strength-endurance-technique a good combination..

Real experience, and understand others experience is also important. You must strive for developing your skills. So reading books together with real experience is also important. You also need that for you mentally inspiration as well.

Read books for getting inspiration, and also get you more experienced. A good combination:-)

This I think, is the key of my lifestyle, get the combination put in the energy and enjoy. Your life will become what you like…

And this weeks presentation will be about Blåhammarens mountain station.

1086m over sea level, there it stands. The Blåhammarens mountain station. It was build in 1912 but a fire totally destroyed the building in 1923. In the fire 4 people was burnt inside of the station. There is lot of questions about the fire and a story of jealousy occurred. Another thesis is that it was a robbery. It was in the end of the season, and a relative to one of the offenders has told that as well. In 1925 it was rebuild and part of it is still there today. Today the three course dinner is famous. And also the sauna with a terrific view.

The wonderful view from the Sauna at Blåhammarens mountain station.

Blåhammaren mountain station at winter..

Get you self a good combination and see ya soon..